Happy Herbivore and Jeff Novick DVD called Fast Food

Yes, I know, it's been awhile since I've posted an update to the blog.  Nope, haven't fallen off the wagon and gone back to my eating ways of the past......in fact, quite the contrary!  I've been spending a lot of time trying out the recipes from Lindsay at http://happyherbivore.com.  The recipes are simple, most things can be found in your typical grocery store and the recipes are easy to tweak if you like a different combination of seasonings.

A couple of things we've tried recently and really like....Black Bean Brownies, Blueberry Breakfast Cake, Hawaiian BBQ: Teriyaki Chickpeas and Instant Vegan Alfredo just to name a few.  And if that isn't enough....check out her cookbook (with 2 more on the way) called The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes.

I've also recently ordered and watched Jeff Novick's DVD called Fast Food.  Jeff's video is definitely a little different than other cooking videos.  First, it looks like he does most of the video right in his own home without any fancy recording equipment.  Second, his approach is to prove it can be inexpensive to eat on a plant based diet.  Lastly, and really I think the most important, the way he shares his recipes forces you to go outside your comfort zone (if you are a recipe follower) and figure out what tastes good based on your liking.  All of his recipes use 5 base ingredients: 1) a tomato base, 2) a bean, 3) a grain, 4) vegetables and 5) seasonings.  So for example, if you are making a "mexican" type meal, then you use a tomato base, with pinto beans, rice, some vegetables typically associated with mexican food (i.e. bell pepper, corn, onion, squash, etc.) and then mexican seasonings.  Although the video and sound quality aren't perfect, the point of the video still gets across. 

So between the Happy Herbivore and Jeff Novick's Fast Food, I've been busy trying new recipes and expanding my cooking horizons.  Take a look at these two resources and see what you think.  By the way....the Happy Herbivore has tons of her recipes online and available for free at http://happyherbivore.com/recipes/